Apparatus for reconditioning sporting-cartridge cases and the like



Jan. 14, 1930. J. TUFFERY 1,743,295

APPARATUS FOR RECONDITIONING SPORTING CARTRIDGE GASES AND THE LIKE Filed May 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. TUFFERY 1,743,295

APPARATUS FOR RECONDITI'ONING SPORTING CARTRIDGE CASES AND THE LIKE Jan. 14, 1930.

Filed May 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jam. 14:, 193i) ins ears.

JEAN rUrnnnY, or snvnns, rnancn APPARATUS FOR RECONDITIONING SPORTING-CARTRIDGE CASES AND THE LIKE Application filed May 10, 1927, Serial No. 190,172, and in France May 22, 1926.

Used sporting cartridges comprise each a ing a clamping head 43 this arrangement enfired case of which the external and internal ables the apparatus to be secured on a table, surfaces have been expanded and distorted by which is clamped between the head 43 and a the explosion of the powder and the open end fluted surface 47 formed beneath the frame.

ofwhich casehasbeenmore or less torn by the Three groups of organs are removably 50 expulsion of the shot. mounted on this frame: The re-condi- Various apparatuses have already been protioning organs (cap-ejecting, calibrating, posed for carrying out one or another opersmoothing, etc.) the organs for upsetting the ation requisite for the re-conditioning of fired re-conditioned and charged cartridge, and a cartridge cases, but theuseofsuch apparatuses central removable carriage between these 55 entails numerous manipulations. In particutwo groups of organs. lar, it is necessary to transfer the cases suc- The ire-conditioning organs comprise a calcessively from one apparatus to another, ibl'ating socket 3, screwed in a sleeve 4, freely which involves a slow and inconvenient engaged by its web 8 between two flanges process. Moreover some of said apparatuses of the frame 1; this socket rests by means of 60 necessitate several manipulations in order to machined surfaces 3 (Fig. 2) on the maeffect a single operation. chined surface 1 of the frame 1 and is con- The object of the present invention is to nectcd in a removable manner to the frame by avoid these drawbacks and to provide an screws 3 0 apparatus enabling sporting cartridge cases A rotary mandrel 5 having a conical sur- 6 to be re-conditioned in an easy and rapid face 12 is mounted in the sleeve 4 and jourmanner, the case remaining in place in the apnalled therein by a journal 6. A cap-ejecting paratus during all the re-conditioning operanipple 13 having a neck 14 is mounted in a retions movable manner in the mandrel 5, this nipple A preferred form of the invention is ilbeing screwed in the end face 85 of the lustrated on the accompanying drawings in mandrel 5. which; A driving shaft 127 provided with a Fig. 1 is a longitudinal axial tion of the crank 9, operates the mandrel 5 through a apparatus, train of spur gearing 127 5 (Fig. 8) in Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the engagement with an intermediate wheel 128, apparatus respectively along the lines 22 having a slot permitting it to be displaced on and 3-3 of Fig. 1, an intermediate spindle 128 for the purpose Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the carhereinafter explained. In order to be able riage along the line 4.4 of Fig. 3, to effect quick interchange of the mandrel 5 Figs. 5 and 6 are partial sections of the in accordance with the calibre of the carapparatus, one showing the initiation of the tridges, the spur wheel 5 is removably mountejection of the detonatedpercussion cap, the ed on the end of the journal 6 of the man other showing the initiation of the insertion drel 5. of a new cap, The upsetting organs comprise a double 40 Fig. 7 is a section of the right hand portion socket 125 providing a supporting bearing of the apparatus acting as an upsetting tool, at 99 and in which is screwed an upsetting Fig. 8 is a view showing the driving mechasocket 60. The journal 61 of an upsetting nism of the rotary mandrel. tool. 61 turns in the bearing 99. This up- The apparatus comprises a frame 1 in setting tool 61, constituted by a simple rewhich is provided a clamping screw 41 havcess, is actuated in its rotary movements by the train of gearing 61 127 the wheel 127 being fixed on the end '127 of the driving shaft.

The double socket 125 presents a web 125 engaged between the flanges of the frame 1 and is removably connected to the frame e. g. by screws.

A. removable abutment 18 having a thrust collar 97 is engaged by a centering plug 98 in the upsetting socket 60.

The carriage 19 consists of two elements, a socket 140 and a carriage body 141.

The socket 140 is formed as a nut and is screwed onto the threaded portion of the driving screw 12?. It is of rectangular cross section (Fig. 3) which prevents it turning relative to the frame 1, whilst permitting it to slide on the frame. Two vertical guides 142 142 are carried by the socket 140.

The body of the carriage 141 has a recess 37 for the engagement of the flange of the head of a sporting cartridge case when of the appropriate calibre, an aperture for the ejection of the detonated cap and for the en gagement of a new cap and a truncated conical seating 19 to receive the flange of the sporting cartridge case durlng the upsetting.

The body of the carriage 141 has two vertical slides 143 1 13 (Fig. 1) by means of which this body engages on the vertical guides 1 12 1 12 of the-guide socket 140.

This arrangement enables the instant removal of the body of the carriage body 1411 and its replacement by another carriage body corresponding to the calibre of the cartridges which are to be operated on.

The socket 140 is engaged by a web 19 (Fig. between the flanges of the frame 1 and rests by means of a machined surface 19 011 the machined surface 1 of the frame, which ensures "the proper guidance of the carriage during sliding.

The above described apparatus operates in the following manner. In order to recondition a used sporting cartridge 55 (Fig. 5), the flange 50 of the head of the cartridge case is engaged in the recess 37 0f the car riage 19 (Fig.

The crank 9 is then operated, turning the screw 12? in a direction so that the carriage 19 is displaced in the direction 130 (Fig. 1) relatively to the frame.

The paper tube 55, enters the free space left between the mandrel 5 and the socket 3 and is guided during this movement by the conical surface 12 of the mandrel 5.

' The mandrelmoreover is turned constantly about its axis by the gearing 127 128 and 5 and thus ensures the exact calibration of the sporting cartridge case -55 and the smoothing of the surfaces of such case.

At the termination of the above movement, themechanism actuating the mandrel 5 is cut out by sliding the intermediate wheel 128 by means ofits slot on the intermediate spindle 128 which enables this wheel to be separated from the spur wheels 127 5 The rotation of the mandrel 5 is thus interrupted.

However, the carriage 19 continues its displacement in the direction 130 (Fig. 1), so that the detonated cap 56 encounters the ejecting nipple 13, (Fig. 5) the border of the cap engaging in the neck 14.

The cap 56 is thus ejected through the aperture 25 and drops outside the carriage 19. The rounded shape of the neck 14 prevents the expansion of the cap 56 during the preceding thrust and facilitates its extraction.

Moreover, there can be no fear. of the upsetting of the wall of the cap 56, under the action of the mandrel 5, the; mandrel being unclutched and ceasing all rotary movement, as has been explained above. For these various reasons the border of the cap 56 remains smooth. The cap is therefore easily ejected from the head 86.

At the termination of the preceding movement the head 86 comes to bear against the annular face 85 of the mandrel 5, which ensures the flattening ofthehead, after ejection of the cap 56.

A new cap can then be inserte into the cartridge. To effect this, the cap 'is placed in the aperture 25 ofthe carriage 19, the cartridge '55, re-conditioned and dispossessed of its detonating cap, being mounted by means of itsflange 56 in the recess 37 of the carriage (Fig. '5). The crank 9 is then'actuate'd so as to displace the carriage 19 in the opposite direction i. e. reverse to arrow 130, the carriage body taking with it the cartridge 55 and the new cap 60 This cap therefore will encounter the abutment 18 which efiects the insertion of the cap into the head 86, and the cartridge is thus capped.

The apparatus moreover avoids any error 7 in capping, because if the cap 60 is not com pletely inserted in the head 86, it is impossible to disengage the cartridge from the carriage 19, owing to the cap remaining engaged in the aperture 25. In that case a re newed operation of inserting the cap is effected.

The re-capped sporting cartridge case is removed from the carriage 19 and is charged with powder and shot in the ordinary manner. It is then necessary to upset the cartridge case. To eiiect this, the cartridge is engaged by its flange in the truncated conical seating 19 of the carriage, and the capping-abutment 18 isremoved from the .upsetting socket 60, which thus becomes open ended (Fig. 7 The crank9 is -then turned in a direction so that the carriage 19 moves in a direction opposite to arrow 130. The

cartridge case enters the upsetting socket 60. The upsetting tool 61 is at these-me time rotated by means ofthe train o f gearing 127,

61 and thus effects the upsetting of the cartridge.

gans (60, 61 are mounted so as to be instantly removable. A sportsman can therefore use one and the same apparatus, employing several different sets of these organs, each set corresponding to a particular calibre of cartridge (12, 16, etc.) the same apparatus thus enables the re-conditioning of cartridges of various calibres.

It should also be noted that the re-conditioning organs, the carriage and upsetting organs being mounted on one and the same driving shaft, the actuation of the apparatus is efiected by one hand, the other hand of the operator remaining constantly free.

Moreover the carriage 19 being mounted on the same shaft 127 as the re-conditioning and upsetting organs, such carriage is constantly centered with precision relative to those two organs.

The apparatus forming the subject of the invention can also be used for the calibration of deformed new cartridge cases. For this it suifices to mount the new and capped cartridge case in the carriage 19, to remove the uncapping nipple 13 from the mandrel 5 and to turn afresh such mandrel by means of the crank 9. Thus the calibration of the car tridge is effected, without risking any shock to the new cap, this cap being actually located opposite the aperture 25 of the carriage, and the nipple 13 of the mandrel 5 being removed.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for reconditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for re-capping said cartridge case, an organ for effecting the internal and external calibration of the cartridge case, a carriage located between said several organs and carrying the cartridge case, means producing displacements of said carriage so as to move the cartridge case successively into engagement with said several organs, and a single frame supporting all said organs.

2. An apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an abutment for re-capping said cartridge case, a calibrating mandrel, a central carriage located between said abutment and said mandrel, means for displacing said carriage so as to move it into engagement alternatively with said abutment and said mandrel, and a frame supporting all said organs.

3. An apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for recapping said cartridge case, an organ for ensuring the internal and external calibration of said cartridge case, an upsetting organ, a carriage located between said several organs, means for displacing said carriage, and a frame supporting all said organs.

4. An apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for ensuring the internal and external calibration of said cartridge case, an upsetting organ, an abutment removably mounted on said upsetting organ, so that a new cap can be inserted in said cartridge case or said cartridge case can be upset.

5. An apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for recapping said cartridge case, an organ for ensuring the internal and external calibration of said cartridge case, a drivin shaft, means for causing said shaft to actuate alternatively said organs, and a frame supporting all said organs.

6. An apparatus for re-condit-ioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case. an organ for re-capping said cartridge case, an organ for ensuring the internal and external calibration of said cartridge case, a carriage located between said several organs, a driving shaft actuating said carriage, means for causing said shaft to actuate those of said organs with which said cartridge case carried by said carriage comes into engagement, and a frame supporting all said organs.

7. An apparatus for re-conditioning sport ing cartridge cases and the like, comprising an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for re-capping said cartridge case, an organ for ensuring the internal and external calibration of said cartridge case, a screw-threaded driving shaft on which said carriage is mounted as a nut, means for causing said shaft to actuate those of said organs with which said cartridge case carried by said carriage comes into engagement, and a frame supporting all said organs.

8. In an apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, the combination of an organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for re-capping the same, a fixed sleeve, a calibrating mandrel rotatably mounted in said sleeve concentric therewith, means for rotating said mandrel about its axis, means for imparting to the cartridge case movements so as to cause it to engage between said sleeve and said mandrel to be calibrated and smoothed thereby, and a frame for supporting all said organs. 7 v

9. In an apparatus for re-conditioning sporting cartridge cases and the like, the combination ofan organ for uncapping the cartridge case, an organ for re-capping the same, a fixed sleeve, a rotatable calibrating man drel, means for rotating said mandrel about its axis, a nipple mounted on said mandrel and presenting a neck so that the border of the detonated cap becomes lodged in said neck thereby preventing the expansion of said cap and facilitating its extraction, and a frame supporting all said organs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JEAN TUFFERY.

I as 

